Keep Your Winning Smile With Custom Athletic Mouthguards

Many high school fall sports teams have already started practicing. Sports can be valuable as a way to stay in shape, to have fun, and to learn lessons about working hard and working as a team.

But coaches and parents want all athletes to play safe, which is why anyone who takes the field or the court should be wearing the right equipment. That’s also a reason most athletes would benefit from a visit to Highland Advanced Dental Care in Highland, MI. We can create a custom-fitted athletic mouthguard to protect your teeth. After all, we want you to keep your winning smile long after the games are over.

Who Should Wear A Mouthguard?

Which of these athletes should be wearing mouthguards?

Football players

Soccer players

Tennis players

Volleyball players

All of the above

The right answer is all of the above. You likely know that athletic mouthguards are required for football. However, they are strongly recommended for the other sports we mentioned (and several others), according to the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

All of the sports mentioned are considered high-impact sports. What makes them high-impact is that they can affect your joints — including your jaw joints. As a result, that can mean damage to your teeth, which is why the cushion of a mouthguard can be invaluable if an accident does occur.

If you aren’t clear if your sport is considered high-impact, just ask yourself if it involves at least one of the following:

Jumping

Moving at different speeds and/or changing directions

Physical contact

Throwing, striking, or catching something (e.g. a ball or a puck)

Athletes who don’t wear mouthguards are 60 times more likely to suffer dental injuries compared to athletes who do wear them. The ADA also estimates that 3 million dental injuries (think broken teeth or teeth that get knocked out) occur during youth sports every year. A mouthguard won’t stop an accident, but it could be the difference between have a sore lip or a broken tooth.

Fit Right

When you get in your car to go somewhere, you put on your seat belt, and you expect your kids to buckle up as well. For everyday driving conditions, seat belts can be highly effective.

Race drivers, on the other hand, want the absolute best protection. They don’t want to wreck, but they know it’s a possibility. That’s why they use five-point harnesses to provide a customized fit and higher levels of protection if something goes wrong.

This is why the ADA, the AAPD, and other professional dental groups recommend custom-fitted athletic mouthguards. It’s also why we make them for our patients as part of our general dentistry.

Custom mouthguards are small and more comfortable to wear. They provide better protection if an accident does occur. They also allow you to breathe, speak, and stay hydrated without removing your mouthguard between plays.

Boil-and-bite mouthguards are better than wearing nothing. But we have heard from more than one person who has complained that these store-bought mouthguards can be bulky and uncomfortable. This can make it difficult to breathe or communicate with teammates in the midst of the action.

By getting custom mouthguards, you are providing the best protection for your family’s smiles.

Gear Up To Stay In The Game

At Highland Advanced Dental Care, you can get custom-fitted mouthguards whether you are a recreational athlete or competing for championships. We want you to keep playing for years to come. Call 248-329-3552 or contact us online to request an appointment at our Highland, MI office.